6 common budget mistakes you make in college—and how to avoid them

We’ll take a solid guess that you’re thinking more about your pre-Spring Break fitness routine than your financial fitness. But making smart money choices in college can help set you on solid footing come graduation. That way, you’re not completely overwhelmed by debt or finding out your credit score flunked your undergraduate years, making it difficult for you to buy a house or car.
Here’s 6 budget pitfalls in college—with advice on how to overcome them.

Not changing your address with the Postal Service. By the time you graduate college, you’ll probably have the moving process down to a science because, let’s face it, you’ll shuffle from the dorms to off-campus rentals. It’s super-important to change your address with the U.S. Post Office each time you move, though, so your mail can reach you. While your mailbox is mostly filled with grocery store fliers and pizza coupons, there’s also some bills in there every so often. No big deal if you get a parking ticket. But if you forget to pay it and don’t get the reminder from the city in the mail, then that $25 ticket could turn into a much heftier ticket and even ding your credit report. Talk about a snowball turning into an avalanche! Here’s how to change your address with the Postal Service.

Relying too much on that take-out app. Yes, after a long day of classes and even longer night of studying, it’s easy to place an order on Seamless and have dinner delivered to you. But, those $15 takeout meals plus tips can add up quick and be a huge budget-buster. A few ways to trim down your food budget? Keep your fridge and pantry stocked with groceries. (Most grocery stores deliver so you don’t have to spend time doing laps around the grocery store). Also, check with your campus to see what kind of meal plans they have available for students who live off-campus. Another idea? Set up some budgets in Mint, an app that show you just how much you’re spending on dining out and that will help you stay on track of your budget.

Bringing a car to campus. A car comes with lots of expenses, from the insurance to the campus parking passes. Plus, you might end up playing chauffeur if you’re the only person in your group of friend’s that has a vehicle. Many campuses will offer alternative transportation solutions so you can ditch your car and save money. As part of the student fees package, many schools offer bus passes to get you around the college town and to campus. Also, if you don’t have a bike, many campuses have bike share programs or will loan you one for a semester.

Signing up for a credit card in exchange for a T-shirt. More colleges are cracking down on this. But, still, it’s an all too familiar scene that plays out on college campuses: credit card companies getting students to sign up for credit cards in exchange for candy or a T-shirt. Avoid signing up for a credit card on a whim. It’s better to compare interest rates and cardholder perks (like travel points or cashback offers) before locking in. The lesson here? Study your options just as judiciously as you would for that upcoming trigonometry test. If you do decide to open one, use it wisely so you’re not racking up credit card debt and paying interest on it every month.

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Not taking advantage of the “free” options on campus. OK, so it might not all be technically “free” because your student fees pay for a lot of the activities that happen on campus. But colleges offer lots of extracurricular activities, especially when it comes to entertainment. So, before you go out to a movie, check to see what’s playing or happening on campus. The same movies you’d see in theaters do sneak peeks on campuses. Also, kudos for stocking up on condoms and protecting yourself, but did you know that the sexual health or wellness offices on campus will often give them to you for free? And to keep you entertained throughout the week, consider signing up for intramural sports leagues or dropping in on some lectures that are happening around campus. Cultural events and distinguished speaker boards are known to bring in some top-notch speakers.

Relying too heavily on those student loans: Student loans are often necessary when it comes to financing your college education. But, if you can work a part-time job to help temper the loan amount, you won’t feel so burdened by such a big student loan bill after graduation. Here’s how you can find jobs while you’re in college.